Example of Political Public Relations in Malaysia (leading up to 13th General Election

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMGfsWgIujk

I found this video posted by the Democratic Action Party (DAP), a member of the coalition opposition party in Malaysia to be fairly interesting, especially given the period of time in which it was produced and uploaded, which was less than a year before the 13th General Elections in May 2013.

In the video, grassroots and top party members of the DAP ride on the record breaking appeal of popular K-pop song, Gangnam Style by Psy by using it (the song) as a backdrop for a parody, in which the lyrics highlight the apparent follies and the many cases of incompetence of the government. They also poke fun at several ministers and prominent family members of the government who have been accused previously and failed to respond to graft and corruption, including the Prime Minister's wife.

I believe this example of political propaganda interesting because:

1) It uses Youtube and other social media platforms, such as Facebook an Twitter as its platform of dissemination, which I think is in tune with the general sway of politics towards a more social conscious and interactive playing field.

2) The DAP used a popular mainstream song as the foundation of their song. This is also significant because it showcases the intent which most politicians now harbour, which is to reach out and woo the younger generation of voters. And by choosing a hit single such as Gangnam Style, which was played several times on radio stations in Malaysia, the DAP were quite clear in wanting to show that it was in sync with the latest trends and thus aim to construct a mutual feeling of trust and respect with the younger generation.